Michael Plante If it's listed for sale it's like any other home.

Emphasize the advantages of getting the house under contract now - no showings, she can make all her plans based on knowing the sales price, etc.

I manage a retail building with five units.

Like with a many sales techniques you don't get a good sample size (and won't likely find success) if you just target 50 homes.  

I didn't think it would happen so fast, but I was driving through a residential area near where I live and spotted a house for sale by owner on a low traffic street. 

One of those 5 loans has now completed a short sale, and I got back 94% of the principal (it hasn't hit my bank yet, but I'm sure it will), which represents the net proceeds.

I will take your word and assume this is a legit sale.

They are only willing to finance a small amount as they say the money down they need to cover the taxes owed from recapturing all the depriciation over the years.What are the rules on recapturing depriciation when a seller wants to owner finance the sale? 

You could make the sale contingent on the two POHs having a title.

. $275,000 with an end sale of $390-420,000 doesn't sound like a break even to me.